BISMARCK, N.D. - The North Dakota attorney general's office says it won't conduct a special investigation for the chancellor of the North Dakota University System.
Chancellor Mark Hagerott asked the state on Monday to investigate what he calls attempts by people to manipulate his office into influencing the 2016 primary election for governor.
Chief Deputy Attorney General Troy Seibel wrote to Hagerott late Monday to decline the request, saying it was outside the scope of the office's role.
Hagerott told KFGO radio last week that he received multiple phone calls to disavow or fire former Gov. Ed Schafer after Schafer endorsed Doug Burgum over state Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. Schafer was interim president of the University of North Dakota.
Original story below:
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFGO) - Mark Hagerott, Chancellor of the North Dakota University system, is asking for the state attorney general's office to investigate what he says were attempts by people to manipulate his office into influencing the 2016 primary election for governor.
Hagerott made the revelation during an interview on KFGO's News & Views last Friday, saying he received phone calls to reject or fire former Gov. Ed Schafer, who was then acting UND president, because he endorsed Doug Burgum over Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem.
Haggerot told KFGO's Joel Heitkamp, "there was a moment of a lot of tension going on when I was told, in very heated circumstances, that things had to be done to affect the political course of North Dakota."
The attorney general's office is reviewing Hagerott's request for the investigation. Hagerott declined to say who pressured him about Schafer's endorsement.
